Christian Student Expelled From UK University Over Facebook Post Citing Biblical Law on Homosexuality

SOUTH YORKSHIRE, U.K. — A Christian studying to be a social worker at a prominent university in the United Kingdom has been expelled after explaining the biblical stance on homosexuality on his personal Facebook page.

According to reports, last September, Felix Ngole, 38, had posted on his private page—which is only able to be viewed by his friends—his support for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis and outlined what the Scriptures state about sexuality, citing the biblical law in Leviticus.

However, nearly two months later, Ngole’s post was brought to the attention of administrators at the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, which touts itself as a “world top-100 university and number one in the U.K. for student satisfaction in the 2014-15 Times Higher Student Experience Survey.”

Ngole, who was a second-year Master’s student, then became the subject of a “Fitness to Practice” hearing, as he was advised that he “may have caused offence to some individuals” and had “transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the social work profession.”

Following additional meetings, the Sheffield committee concluded that Ngole’s beliefs would negatively affect his “ability to carry out a role as a social worker,” and was consequently advised that he was “excluded from further study on a program leading to a professional qualification.” The school recently informed Ngole that he is “no longer recognized as a university student.”

“Your student record will be terminated shortly and your library membership and university computer account withdrawn. You may wish to contact your funding body for advice on your financial position,” it wrote.

But Ngole believes that the action taken against him wrongfully sends a signal that Christians are not welcome to serve as social workers. He is vowing to fight back.

“My beliefs about marriage and sexual ethics reflect mainstream, biblical understanding, shared by millions around the world,” he said in a statement released by the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Ngole. “Simply expressing that understanding, in a personal capacity, on my Facebook page, cannot be allowed to become a bar to serving and helping others in a professional capacity as a social worker.”

“The way that I have been treated raises very serious issues about the way students in English universities are being censored in their views and beliefs,” he further stated. “If the personal statements of students on their own social media pages, and among their own ‘friends’ are now to be used to judge whether they are ‘fit and proper people’ to serve in professions such as law, medicine, teaching and social work, then very serious questions need to be asked about the freedoms in the UK.”

Ngole says he doesn’t believe institutions of higher education should “censor” statements about any subject matter, but rather encourage discussion.

“The university claims my views are discriminatory, but I am the one being discriminated against because of my expression of Christian beliefs,” he stated. “I wonder whether the university would have taken any action if a Muslim student who believes in Shari’a law, with its teaching about women and homosexuality, had made moderate comments on his Facebook page. I don’t think so.”

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Cady555

What if I believed that holding christian beliefs made one fundamentally disordered and unable to function in society? (I do not believe that, btw).

Those beliefs would make it impossible for me to act as a social worker.

If one cannot separate personal beliefs from their care for other people, they are not qualified for the job.

bowie1

I suppose believing in the survival of the fittest would be a better qualification which is the secular view?

Cady555

An atheist therapist who accepts the evidence for evolution, if competent, would treat a religious patient without pushing his or her beliefs onto the patient.

I have an atheist family member who saw a non Jewish counselor employed by a Jewish Social Services organization. We assume the counselor was a christian but have no idea because she never, ever hinted at her own personal beliefs. It was all about the patient. This is how it is supposed to work.

Josey

Nonsense!

Cady555

You saw it was hypothetical, right?

Or do you think it is nonsense for therapists to behave professionally?

Not at all a fail: while this is not your belief, it is exactly the issue raised by the article. You just put it so much better (as not your belief).

Emmanuel

He would have been kicked out of the UK if he posted bible verses about adultery.

jr61020

Or Muslims and what they worship

Jamie

I’m not sure how this is significantly different from people who are fired from jobs for posting content on their own Facebook pages (read: content that shows they aren’t in a position to carry out their job properly).

disqus_SUijHfDO8w

What people do on their personal site is their business. I don’t hire or fire for what they post on Facebook, I look at what they do on the job. What people do on their own time is their business, not mine.

RABNPA

And what happens if he does become a social worker?
Will he equally serve members of the LGBTQ community, which may include homeless youth and married same sex couples who want to adopt?
Just like his buddy in Kentucky, as a public servant one cannot pick and choose what segment if the population you will serve.

Andy King

He has views about homosexuality. He probably has views about other things that non-christians do, like racism, also. Will he treat racists without compassion, regarding personal matters nothing to do with their racism, or treat them professionally?

The issue should not be what his personal views on certain ethical issues are, but his ability to set aside his views to do his job.

I consider it utterly outrageous that he should be barred from professional training if it is purely because of personal views posted on social media to a close circle of friends.

If his issues with homosexuality create problems that are unsurmountable for him to deal with professionally, this should come up in his training.

Unless his comments were terribly inflamatory, and subsequent responses to enquiries showed him to totally lack and be unable to develop the social skills needed for the job, this is out of order and a waste of talent of a possibly great social worker.

Maybe those enquiries were made and the decision was sound, but on the face of it it is a politically correct “witch hunt”.

Christopher

I am deeply worried about the way things are going on all over the world, the gentle man has got the right to express his belief without being victimized. He his standing for the truth no matter how anyone sees it. The fact is that, there is no more fear of God in the world today. My beloved brother keep on testifying and the lord will fight for you. God bless you.

Michael Collison

Good man. Plenty more uni’s.. but concentrate on your studies. Stay away from controversy. Till your qualified. Then give an opinion if asked. That way you keep your nose clean. Maranatha!

Mikey0

I prefer quoting God and being disparaged rather than bowing to the shifting sands of human nonsense to gain or keep my position. God looks out for His own, you know.

dongszkie

Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religious Expression is the first casualty on this move by the School’s Administration. . .It is now the homosexuals, the perverse people, the atheists and muslim jihadists that runs the mode and tone of our society. .They are the tiny minority but given much audience by our policymakers to run the show and dictate their weird agenda.

Jarle Tveitan

If he quoted levitucus, the whole quote, he called for homosexuals to be put to death. I can see why the university might take issue with that. Surely he could have expressed his opposition to homosexuality without advocating murder.

Brad F

Hey, you figured it out. Christians often quote the Bible. And since part of the Bible says that homosexuals should be killed, that is indisputable proof that ALL Christians wish to kill homosexuals.

Well, there are all those theological gymnastics about how Old Testament laws apply to THEE but not to ME …

Jarle Tveitan

You kind of changed what I said into a bizarre absolute. I referred to 1 person, the one the article is about, and you turned that into a generalisation about all christians, for some reason.

Josey

You are ignorant to the ways of God and to the reason God commanded that sodomites be put to death in the old testament, it was to keep the bloodline of our Savior Jesus Christ pure. We in the New Testament have grace through our Lord Jesus Christ and since He has paid the price on the cross and now sits at the right hand of God our Father we are not commanded to put a sodomite to death, God will judge soon enough and not just a sodomite but all who are unrepentant and rebellious against His plans and salvation that He has provided.

This explains why social workers do dastardly acts against families. Government should begin to recognize that people who do graduate from these programs are infected with an irrational distaste for normal family life, and many are completely unfit for the work they claim to be qualified for.

Pastor D

Homosexuality is now being touted as a dictatorial law!!! Anyone who disagrees with the “world’s” view of homosexuality will be persecuted.
God bless and keep you, Felix Ngole; and, every other Bible believing Christian throughout the world as we stand upon the Word of God and His wisdom, while rejecting outright the supposed wisdom of this world. The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are headed for destruction! But, we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. May God strengthen each and every Biblical Christian…in Jesus Name!!

Josey

AMEN!!!

Josey

This world will soon have it’s wish, you want a King Saul, God Almighty will give you the worst one ever in the anti christ, then a swift judgement which won’t seem swift to all who follow that man of sin, those last 3 1/2 years will be just the beginning of an endless torment for all who are rebellious and unrepentant. Blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Why someone as sanctimonious and judgmental as that would want to go into SOCIAL WORK mystifies me.

Semp

Pot to kettle.

The gay trolls are the gold standard for judgmental. Strange that a group of people notoriously immoral will sit on judgment on decent people. It’s like something out of Alice in Wonderland.

JohnnyBoy

I’m sure he signed a student code of conduct that outlines his limitations for “freedom of speech”. My college is in the Bible Belt and it has a whole chapter pertaining on this so I’m sure he knew the consequences. It has nothing to do with agenda, but more about professionalism. Keep your beliefs to yourself unless someone asks you about them.

Gena B

ya know what ya do? Go to a Christian College.

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